No. 22 Old Dominion Travels to No. 12 Wisconsin For First Dual

MADISON, Wis. - The Old Dominion wrestling team will face its first of many tests this season when the Monarchs travel to Madison, Wis. to take on the 12th ranked Wisconsin Badgers Friday at 8 p.m.

Old Dominion, ranked No. 22 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, is coming off an impressive performance at the Hokie Open in which six wrestlers won their weight classes and nine total Monarchs placed.

Under head coach Steve Martin, ODU posted a 17-6 record last season and went 5-0 in league action. The Monarchs return eight starters, including No. 5 James Nicholson and No. 10 Jesse Strawn. Both Nicholson and Strawn won their weight classes at the Hokie Open last Sunday.

Wisconsin has four individual wrestlers ranked by InterMat. Senior Kyle Ruschell leads the group of Badgers with a No. 2 ranking at 149 lbs., while sophomore Andrew Howe checks in at No. 2 for 165 lbs. Redshirt junior Trevor Brandvold is tabbed No. 6 for 197 lbs. according to InterMat, while redshirt freshman Tyler Graff is listed at No. 10 for 133 lbs.

It will be the first dual of the season for both squads and the first matchup between ODU and Wisconsin since the 1992-93 season. The Badgers topped the Monarchs 33-7 to grab the all-time series lead, 1-0.

Friday's dual against the Badgers is Old Dominion's only dual until January when it competes
at the ODU Quad against UNC-Greensboro, Purdue and Rider.